Children's home run by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Cornwall

Inspection report for children’s home: SC429523 1 SC429523 Registered provider: Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

An NHS Foundation Trust manages this home. The home provides short breaks for up to four children at once. These children may have complex health needs and learning and/or physical disabilities. Some children have life-limiting conditions that significantly affect their activities and daily lives. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Seven children are having regular stays in this short-break home. No children were staying in the home during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 29 October 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC429523 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/10/2024 Full Outstanding 30/11/2023 Full Good 24/05/2022 Full Good 20/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC429523 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from exceptional care from a stable staff team. The staff are skilled and knowledgeable, and they have a thorough understanding of the children’s needs. They show a strong level of commitment to the children, and they care for the children in a sensitive way that maintains their privacy and dignity. The strong level of nurturing and caring support that staff provide supports children to flourish. The staff are skilled at being able to recognise when children are unwell or unhappy and this enables them to successfully intervene when this is needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Parents describe the excitement that children show when they arrive at the home for their short break, indicating to them that they enjoy their stays. Parents value the high levels of care that their children receive from the staff and say that they know they can relax trusting that their children are being well cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff have high aspirations for the children. They use creative approaches for children to experience new things, often making the most of opportunities in the wider community. They also respect children’s existing interests, creating stimulating activities around the home, such as a themed disco or party. These opportunities help children to thrive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff build strong working relationships with parents and other professionals which ensures children’s care plans and medication are regularly updated. This includes regular conversations with health professionals about children’s health needs. The seamless multi-agency working means that children’s needs are met to a high standard by all of those working with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home provides a welcoming space for children, including a sensory garden and an accessible swing. Artwork created by the children is proudly displayed on the walls. The manager is tenacious about improving the home and has secured funding for a new specialist bath.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Safeguarding is managed exceptionally well. Staff react swiftly when children’s health deteriorates and ensure they seek appropriate medical advice. Staff know about specific safeguarding risks relating to children. This means they take swift action when new concerns are raised. The manager maintains strong links with other professionals to ensure they are aware of the most up to date information.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

There is positive communication with professionals and family members that ensures children are safe. Increased levels of support are provided to families who may need more help by offering additional stays in the home, or by consulting with social workers Inspection report for children’s home: SC429523 4 to ensure families can access additional support. All of this ensures that children remain safe, and their families well supported.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The manager has robust systems in place to monitor and track medication in the home. When minor recording errors were identified during audits, strong steps were taken to address this. There were conversations with staff during team meetings and in supervision. This ensures that reflection and learning is taken from these events to improve practice.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

When managers and staff are concerned about children’s equipment or health needs, they take steps to advocate for children to ensure this improves. The staff take strong and timely action to support children who need support with appointments. When needed, staff support with interventions such as sleep studies, recognising the significant impact these can have on families. The manager empowers staff to use research to develop practice, which has included areas such as medication administration and mouth care.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Before children begin their short breaks, managers and staff create robust plans to ensure they get to know the children. Managers consult with other professionals to obtain detailed information is received about children’s health needs. Regular visits take place to see children at home, in school and in other settings. The child is then invited to visit the home with their family, and there is a gradual increase to the length of visits being held. This ensures that staff are fully confident to meet children’s complex health and care needs. Steps are taken to ensure that all the right equipment is in place for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is an experienced manager in post who knows the children exceptionally well. The manager is influential in advocating for children and improving their experiences. Strong practice in this home results in sustained improvements to the lives and experiences of children. The manager diligently ensures that highly effective planning minimises any risks to the children. All of this ensures that children receive exceptional levels of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Support for children and families is over and above the remit of a short-break service. This includes providing children with additional overnights when they or their families need more support and supporting families with paperwork, appointments, equipment, or emotional support. The impact of staff care for children goes beyond their time in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a stable, dedicated team of staff in the home, who all know the children very well. Many have worked in the home for a long time. Staff enjoy working in the home, and feel well supported by their managers. They receive high quality reflective supervision and specialist training. There is a strong focus around supporting staff’s well- being that gives staff opportunities to build relationships as a team, and to promote their own emotional and physical well-being. Managers undertake sensitive and considerate work to ensure staff are prepared to support families during different stages of their Inspection report for children’s home: SC429523 5 child’s health journey. The satisfaction staff have in their role impacts positively on the care that is provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager influences and inspires practice development within the wider organisation, sharing staff time with other homes to support improvement. These visits have included the sharing of good practice and training for staff. The manager also identifies opportunities to educate the wider community about accessibility and services for disabled children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals are exceptionally positive about the care that children receive. They say that children receive high quality care and that staff collaborate positively with professionals. They comment on the commitment of staff to get to know children and families before they stay, and the positive reassurance this provides them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC429523 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC429523 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Trust Head Office, Carew House, Beacon Technology Park, Dunmere Road, Bodmin PL31 2QN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Sebastian De Gange

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Inspector

Sarah Sheffield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC429523 8 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding, and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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